Mr. Lidington: To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2007, Official Report, column 1443W, if he will make a further statement on the progress made in the inquiry by Peter Scott QC into the criticisms of the Northern Ireland Office made by Mr. Justice Girvan.

The Solicitor-General: I refer also to the answer given on 13 March 2007, Official Report, column 177W, on the progress of the review being conducted by Mr Scott.

Since then, Mr. Scott has had meetings with a total of eight witnesses, three in Belfast at the end of March and five in London at the beginning of May. He has made further enquiries of other witnesses in the light of those meetings, most of whom have now responded. Mr. Scott expects to be in a position to submit his report to the Attorney-General in due course.